
Rubies are mentioned in the Bible in the Book of Job. They were also mentioned by Greeks, Romans and Hindus. The gems were believed to destroy poison and be a powerful charm, protecting the wearer from fever. Burton the African traveler, always carried a star sapphire with him to gain the respect of the barbarous peoples among whom he traveled. The savages believed that the stone was a talisman of great power and feared to incur the owner’s enmity.